Who's Got the Ball? (and Other Nagging Questions About Team Life): A Player's Guide for Work Teams (Jossey Bass Business & Management Series)

More than a fad, teaming is proving to be a new way oforganizational life, with eight out of every ten employees nowinvolved in some kind of teamwork. But how exactly does one play ona team at work? While there are plenty of manuals, trainers, andtheories that help managers create, lead, and reward teams, actualteam members are often left struggling without a handbook or acoach.

With refreshing clarity and common sense, Maureen O'Brien, a teamexpert with more than twenty years of experience as a player,coach, and business consultant, offers one-on-one coaching tips toteam players in Who's Got the Ball? The author covers all thebases, from setting a team's goals and articulating its noblepurpose, to banishing boring meetings, deciding how to makedecisions, and even using flip charts effectively. Friendly andconversational, O'Brien offers experience-based, easy-to-implementguidelines that are eminently practical and surprisingly fun. Herconcise coaching notes, wonderfully illustrated by real-lifeorganizational situations, address every aspect of daily team life,including: creating a workable team structure * being a valuableteam member * avoiding common teamwork traps * running an effectiveteam meeting * making and implementing decisions * leading ateam.

From developing a new team and determining just what kind of gameyour team is playing--individualistic baseball, interdependentbasketball, or tightly orchestrated football--to dealing withpersonality-based conflicts, knowing when to take a time-out, andhonoring a project's most valuable player, Who's Got the Ball? isan invaluable guide to surviving--and thriving--on today's workteams.

COACH MAUREEN O'BRIEN is president of OB Management Consultants, has toured with the Harlem Globetrotters, and "coached" the organizational development of clients including IBM and GE, helping teams succeed by giving team players the practical tools and expertise they need.